Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let rise in a warm place until bubbly, 8 hours to overnight. At this point, you can refrigerate for several days. I use quart canning jars (leave the lid a bit loose); it gets more sourdough tangy.

Thursday, April 3, 2008

This is an Indian Bread. It needs to be started the day before.Makes 10 pieces.

Ratio is 3-1. rice to dal

Soak 2 c Basmati rice and 2/3 c Urad dal together for 4 hrs in water. Grind in a blender with enough water to make a thick pancake -like batter. Place in a warm place ( oven with light on) til rises to double. Will fall when you move bowl. Takes overnight. Refrigerate til ready to use.

Butter a hot griddle. Put 1/10 of batter on griddle and cook about 5 min per side .Should be thick batter and hold its shape . Will make a 1/4 -1/2 in. thick pancake. Don't let it get too hot. Needs to cook vegetables in pancake. Should be crisp and golden. Serve hot.

Method: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt 2T butter and brown sugar and honey together. Toss diced squash with brown sugar, honey and butter and roast in 400-degree oven until caramelized and soft to the touch, about 30 minutes; roast the unpeeled banana in the oven at the same time.Make sure and put foil under banana and spray baking pan with PAM for squash.

Melt the other 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan on medium-low heat and sweat the onion, celery and carrot for a few minutes until tender and onion is transluscent. Add the garlic, curry powder, coriander, nutmeg and cinnamon and cook slowly for a few more minutes.

Remove the banana from its skin, (be careful it is HOT) and add it with the butternut and its juices to the pan, along with the coconut milk and chicken (or veggie) broth. Simmer until hot. Remove from heat and ladle the soup into blender in small batches. Blend the soup in a blender until smooth. Adjust to consistency desired with more broth, if necessary. Flavor with lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.

The soup should be served hot, so return to stovetop and gently reheat if necessary. Pour soup into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of pumpkin seed oil, a few toasted pumpkin seeds and chopped fresh cilantro and lime zest. ( I didn't have pumpkin oil or seeds)

Lightly butter and toast the buns under the broiler Dice some bacon, fry crisp, remove and place on paper towel to absorb fat. Saute a few mushrooms in the same pan after removing most of the bacon drippings Chop and dice green/red pepper, sweet onion and roma tomato Place toasted buns on a baking sheet, top with sauted mushrooms, bacon and veggies, sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese, a bit of garlic powder or salt. Red pepper flakes, olives etc. there's lots of options. Pop them under the broiler on a cookie sheet until the cheese melts

These are tasty little devils :o)

Hint: I make a collar out of a strip of 3" high folded parchment paper to stop everything from falling off the buns and onto the cookie sheet while stacking them up.